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And every shade of grey you can imagine.......
When you come right down to it, plain old BLUE jeans are classic and generally what most people think of when they imagine 'jeans.'
We wouldn't have this iconic fashion statement if it weren't for the work of German chemist Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf von Baeyer (1835-1917). Baeyer (pronounced "buyer") was awarded the 1905 Nobel Prize in chemistry "in recognition of his services in the advancement of organic chemistry and the chemical industry, through his work on organic dyes and hydroaromatic compounds." In simple words, Baeyer synthesized indigo. Without indigo, we would not have blue jeans.
Indigo plants (genus Indigofera) were once cultivated to extract indigo pigment. Baeyer developed the method to synthesize it. Later, the industrial process for large-scale production was developed by the German firm Badische Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik (now known as BASF) and placed on the market in 1897.
Indigo is a synthetic fiber dye. Its characteristics impart the well-known features to blue jeans, in particular, the irregular fading patterns we've come to embrace in our well-worn jeans. The dye's chemical structure prevents it from penetrating into fibers completely making it rather colorfast to water and light. (In other words, exposure to water and light makes them fade.)
For the techies, here is what indigo kinda looks like if it were drawn as a stick figure:
And for those who also want a bit more tech.....Cotton CANNOT be dyed with indigo as it is synthesized in its insoluble form. Indigo has to be specially treated (called reducing) to make it so that the cotton fibers can soak up the dye. Once reduced using other chemicals (Sodium hydroxide and Sodium hydrosulfite), indigo dye is yellow. "Vat dye" is the name given to the general process of reducing an insoluble dye in order to make it take. After fibers are dyed with the reduced version of indigo, they are re-oxidized to produce the blue color using either another chemical agent or plain old air.
I know this is long and kinda technical but stay with me
What this means to the user......blue jeans fade continuously!
To minimize of fading, wash your blue denims with some white vinegar. Laundry detergents are alkaline in nature. This alkalinity makes it hard for the fibers to hold onto the dye, hence the bleeding we see in our washing tub. Adding vinegar neutralizes the alkaline nature of the detergent.
Now that I offered the vinegar suggestion here is my disclaimer.....I have no idea exactly how much vinegar to use. I've read everything from a thimble-full to one cup to soak in a bucket with vinegar/water mix. Susan Khalje recommends 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup vinegar per 1 gallon of water as a pre-soak.
Peggy Sagers recommends washing denim with a can of Coca-Cola added. I suspect she does this for the same reason as the Phosphoric Acid in the Cola would serve the same purpose as the Acetic Acid in the vinegar.
When I am lucid enough to remember, I've just dumped some white vinegar in the machine - likely a cup or two. I'll be honest though, since I bought my front-loading machine I haven't tried it as I am not really sure where the best place is to put it. It was much simpler with the top loading machine.
I have discovered a couple tips on prepping cotton denim fabric. I used to always wash/dry my denim five times prior to using it. Five times washing in cold water and five times drying on high.
I NO LONGER DO THIS AND I DON'T RECOMMEND IT!
After washing numerous yards of denim (both blue and colored, 100% cotton and cotton + spandex), here is a breakdown of my past process and how I currently prep the fabric:
(Note: I specifically noted cotton fabric since RTW denim jeans are not always 100% cotton but an interesting variety of blends. With respect to fiber content, 100% pure WOVEN fibers are the most consistent with respect to handling and performance. As a matter of fact, a number of RTW manufacturers are adding polyester to their denim to increase longevity and decrease wear. Most jeans now have some % of spandex included too. Subjects of some future post.)
I prep denim/spandex blends a bit differently now. In this post, Sew Versatile Denim, I discuss the general weights of denim and with/without spandex. However, I did not really delve into fabric prep until now. More on what I am doing with denim/spandex blends in a future post.
What about those finished jeans?? How often to wash? This, too is quite the matter of opinion. Country Outfitter offers these tips on caring for your denim:
1) Wash less frequently and opt instead for spot cleaning where needed
2) Avoid the dryer - hang dry instead
3) Turn jeans inside out (also make sure to close the zipper)
4) Add 1 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup salt to reduce fading
Country Outfitter even suggests hand washing your jeans. I doubt I would ever partake of this myself but just throwing it out there.
Don't be blue - except for your jeans of course!
Resources:
Chemistry Connections: The Chemical Basis of Everyday Phenomena, Kerry K. Karukstis and Gerald R. Van Hecke, 2000.
Linen and Cotton: Classic Sewing Techniques for Great Results, Susan Khalje, 1999.
